ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard Review

Introduction

ACGAM, named after ACTION GAME, is a PC gaming gadgets brand, dedicated on providing high-quality gaming keyboards, gaming mouse pads, gaming mice, mouse bungee, gamepad, computer cases, gaming headsets etc. With the principle of creativity, ACGAM team pays much attention to applying the most advanced technology and professional knowledge into manufacturing products.

The ACGAM have sent us their compact, mechanical keyboard AG6X. This keyboard has a small footprint and is ideal for on-the-go gaming as the user can easily carry it along to the LAN parties etc. This is further augmented by the nice implementation of the detachable USB cable. This keyboard is available in 61 keys US layout and 63 keys Spanish/French/Italian/German layouts depending upon the region of the availability hence the nomenclature of X is used in the model. These keyboards have Blue Outemo switches. Keyboard’s color is black. This keyboard is TKL (TenKeyLess) and has white LED backlit with 7 vibrant color modes. ACGAM has sent us the 61 key US layout for the review. ACGAM’s focus is to bring their products with no compromise on quality yet at very affordable prices and AG6X is no exception to that.

Availability: Click here to find the information on all buying locations.

Specifications

Packaging and Unboxing

The keyboard comes in a brown color standard cardboard box with minimalistic design and color features on the retail packing. This is done to save cost and reduce the pricing of the item. The ACGAM brand name and logo are printed on the top left side. Number 6 in the middle indicates the AG6X. This is a mechanical keyboard as indicated on the bottom right side.

On the backside of the packing, Mechanical keyboard is printed on the top right side. The manufacturing address and website of the manufacturer are printed on the left side. Serial no sticker is pasted on the bottom right side. The keyboard is made in China and conforms to CE, RoHS, FC specifications.

Opening the box would show the keyboard nicely placed inside a transparent cover. The right side portion of the box has the USB cable and key puller tucked inside.

Accessories and Contents

These include: –

1x keyboard

1x Keycap remover

1x User Manual

1x Installation Disk

1x USB Cable

A comprehensive user manual in a well layout manner is provided. It is multilingual and starts with the specifications and guides the user on how to use macros and enable customize lighting effects along with the possible key combinations. A standard keycap remover/puller in black color is provided.

Closer Look

The ACGAM AG6X is a simple and compact mechanical gaming keyboard. Don’t let its small footprint makes you turn away even for a second as it packs all the features that a standard mechanical keyboard can have. The ACGAM has provided a white LED backlit on this keyboard which does complement the look and feel of this keyboard in almost perfect manner. ACGAM has also provided a comprehensive yet simple to use software to control the keyboard functionality and lighting effects as well. Let’s take a closer look at the keyboard.

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ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

This keyboard is built around the concept of on-the-go gaming. It is 61 keys, US layout with the dimension of 293x103x40mm making it a small footprint. It is compact build with less weight (564 gm keyboard only) but without any compromise on the build quality. The keycaps are made of ABS material. The main key on this keyboard is the function or Fn key as owing to such a small footprint, the maximum functionality is achieved using the keys combination and the Fn makes the life easier for this task. There are 38 keys that work in combination with the Fn to give the stated outcome. Pressing them without the Fn key would give their normal output. The keys are almost in the same order as we can see on any other standard mechanical keyboard except where the difference comes from the respective layout and where the adjustment is made due to the size consideration. This keyboard has White LED backlighting and I have found the lighting effects on this keyboard subtle and pleasing to eyes. Light is diffused very well across the keys and they don’t spread over.

This keyboard does not have dedicated media keys but this is expected given its size and ACGAM has not skipped the multimedia implementation what so ever. There are dedicated keys for multimedia that work in tandem with the Fn key. A below-mentioned table is showing the combination keys and their stated outcome when pressed along with Fn key.

Key Combination

Function

Fn + Win

Locks/Unlocks the Windows key

Fn + 1

F1

Fn + 2

F2

Fn + 3

F3

Fn + 4

F4

Fn + 5

F5

Fn + 6

F6

Fn + 7

F7

Fn + 8

F8

Fn + 9

F9

Fn + 10

F10

Fn + 11

F11

Fn + 12

F12

Fn + Tab

Press this combination for 5 seconds till the lights go out and keyboard is reset to the factory settings.

Fn + Q

Mute/Unmute the volume

Fn + W

Increase the Volume

Fn + E

Decreases the Volume

Fn + R

Previous Track

Fn + T

Play/Pause

Fn + Y

Next Track

Fn + U

Increases the brightness of the LED lighting

Fn + I

Decreases the brightness of the LED lighting

Fn + O

Cycles between the Backlighting effects

Fn + P

LED Backlighting On/Off

Fn + [{

Print Screen

Fn + ]}

Page Break

Fn + |\

Insert

Fn + L

Scroll Lock

Fn + ;:

Page Up

Fn + ’”

Page Down

Fn + ,<

Home

Fn + .>

End

Fn + /?

Up Arrow

Fn + Alt

Left Arrow

Fn + ≡

Down Arrow

Fn + Ctrl

Right Arrow

Fn + Esc

~

Fn + Backspace

Del

The keyboard has a stylish housing finished in two-tone. The upper portion is matte black while the bottom portion has a shine on it. Resultantly it is also a fingerprint magnet but given that they have implemented the shiny side at the bottom, it is a wise move as it would seldom come in touch with the fingers. There is a white color top plate covering the PCB and resting between the switches and the PCB. This white color plate gives a dope look with the black color keycaps and white backlight. The white color top plate runs from corner to corner covering every inch of the top side of the keyboard. There is a slight gap between the keycaps and the border. The border is raised from the edges making the keys look to be like inset design. The top raised portion is again shiny black.

The top row of the keyboard starts with the Esc key. The majority of the 38 combination keys have triple markings on them. The bottom marked functionality is accessible in a combination of the Fn key whereas the right-hand side marking is accessed in a combination of the Shift key. This is how this 61 key layout is covering the standard 104 keys layout. The top row is yet another wise implementation by combining the first two rows on any standard 104 keys keyboard into one group and letting the Fn key combination to access the one half of the functionality. The key with 1 has F1 functionality as well, the key with 2 has the functionality of F2 and pattern goes on to the F12. The Backspace and Del keys have been combined with the default behavior of the key being the backspace and the combination with Fn key giving the Delete key’s functionality. Please note that volume is increased/decreased by a factor of 2 at a time.

The keys from Q to Y letters are the multimedia keys that can be triggered using the combination of these keys with the Fn key. The keys from letter U to P are backlighting effects control keys and can be triggered using the combination of these keys with the Fn key. The keyboard can be reset to the factory settings by pressing the combination of the Fn key and the Tab key for 5 seconds. This is definitely a handy feature. There is another visual aid implemented in the Win key. As soon as the cycle on the backlighting effect key is completed the Win key LED blinks for 5 times indicating that the cycle is completed. Like when full brightness is achieved using the combination of the Fn and U keys, the LED on the Win key will blink for 5 times.

The left/right/up/down arrows are also implemented in the combination of the Fn key and the /?, Alt, ≡ and Ctrl keys at the bottom right side. This is not a convenient implementation in my opinion as a user will have to press the Fn first while navigating through windows or objects which is quite a common task in routine desktop use. But, once you get used to it, this complaint goes away. I found it difficult to use this combo during the navigation in the game menus. But, given the size of the keyboard and its overall layout, there is nothing much that could have been done to go another way around. The good thing is the Fn key is strategically well placed near to the arrow keys. Similarly, I faced difficulty when deleting the pictures while navigating through the pictures folder. It was like keep the Fn key pressed at all times and then learn to use the Backspace and navigation keys in tandem with it. A little practice set me to it.

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ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

The left and right sides are identical and they show the minimalistic yet stylish finish of the keyboard. The bottom side has curved design and the edges are rounded on all four corners. The keyboard is designed in such a way the front side has bit raised surface. The border side facing the user has ACGAM brand logo printed in the white color on the right side. The front side has USB Type-C interface port on its right side. This keyboard has detachable USB cable which is another key feature of it. The user can easily carry the keyboard to gaming arena without worrying too much about the cable. There is contradictory information regarding the length of the USB cable. The user manual is stating it to be of 1.5m whereas the specification on the website is stating it to be 1.8m. Either way, at-least 1.5m is confirmed. It is made of high-grade fiber braiding and has a cable strap for easy management. The main interface is USB 2.0.

Let’s take a look at the backside of the keyboard. There are 4 rubber paddings on the backside to avoid scratching on the surface where the keyboard will be used. These paddings are curved design. There is a large size-sticker in the middle. It has ACGAM brand name and the logo printed on the top side. There is a serial no printed under this text. The keyboard is made in China. There are no rubber feet under the keyboard to raise the height from the top side of the keyboard. There is no wrist pad provided with the keyboard which is understandable as this keyboard has a focus of mobility in mind, therefore wrist pad would not make sense though having mounting option would have been preferred for home users.

Let’s take a look at the switches that this keyboard is using. The ACGAM AG6X is using Outemo Blue mechanical switches. The Outemo Blue switch is a non-linear switch hence the switches are clicky and give good tactile feedback. These switches are rated at 50M keystrokes much like the Cherry MX Blues. The LED style on these switches is SMD RGB w/o lense. It has single color/RGB through-hole. These switches are manufactured by Outemu Dongguan City High- Electronics C. Ltd in China. The stem is of same cross shape as we can see on the Cherry switches.

Like any other mechanical gaming keyboard, this keyboard has 61-key Anti-Ghosting feature which ensures that each keypress is registered no matter how many other keys are pressed at the same time. This is done by the keyboard hardware which detects or scan each key independently. It is helpful while gaming to give the user a better and fluid gaming experience without any hiccup. Please, note that there are models of the mechanical keyboards in the market with roll over feature applicable to only a few keys which are normally the keys that are used frequently while gaming.

Lighting Effect

The ACGAM AG6X has white color backlighting on it. This keyboard does not have RGB lighting. The keyboard has 7 pre-defined lighting effects based on the white color. The user can configure the effects either using the software or through the keys combination on the keyboard.

Following predefined modes are available on this keyboard:-

Snake Marquee

Ripple Mode

Wave Mode

Breathing Mode

Reactive Mode

Static Color

LED Off

The color diffuses very well and the white color top plate helps to create stunning visuals with the white backlighting.

Software

ACGAM has provided comprehensive software for their AG6X keyboard. The software can be downloaded from their website or can be installed from the supplied disk. Let’s take a look at the software.

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ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

ACGAM AG6X TKL Mechanical Keyboard

There is a picture of the keyboard in the main section. On the top right corner, we have two buttons of interest. One is in T-Shirt style. This is where the skin of the software can be changed. A button on its right is a settings button that will open a new window with various options related to the software. On the top left side, there is an ACGAM brand logo before the three options, which are:

Custom

Lighting

Macro

Custom is the default option. Once either option is selected, its font color changes from blue to the white. There is a dustbin button which is used to delete the current profile/setting. The next two buttons are used to export/import the configuration file. There are multiple options in the left pane that are designed to fully customize the individual keys of the keyboards by assigning shortcuts. I am amazed by the level of the customization that has been provided. Even the keys can be disabled. Macros can be assigned to the keys from this menu as well.

The second option is the Lighting effect. It has simple options for controlling the brightness of the backlight by moving the slider between Dark and Bright text. On its right side, there is a speed regulation slider that is used to increase/decrease the speed of the given lighting effect by moving the slider between the Slow and Fast text. Note that this option is not available for Single Color. The last option is the drop drown list from which the pre-defined lighting effect(s) can be selected. There is an Apply button at the bottom right side. Click on it to save the configuration.

Last option is to create Macros. The user can import/export Macros which is a handy feature. Click on a + button to define a new macro. The user has the options to have no delay in the macro or left it on default delay which is 1000ms. Once you are done defining the macros you can assign keys to the macros under the Customize section. There are plenty of options to customize the macro recording.

Personal Experience

I did not take much time to get used to this format of the keyboard as I have recently reviewed TKL keyboard. All the time that I spent on adjusting myself to the Fn key and some routinely used keys like arrow keys, Backspace key etc. I have played games mostly FPS on the AG6X, edited pictures, written content and everything that I do on my PC. The keys are not wobbling on this keyboard. I have enjoyed my time with this keyboard once I get used to it. The gaming experience was fluid and no key press went unregistered. My overall experience is good and I could use this keyboard anytime. But, I can’t comment on the longevity as this is something which can only be covered after a time period. Lighting effects are right on the money and I found the effects to my taste and liking.

Conclusion

The ACGAM AG6X is a simple and compact mechanical gaming keyboard that is aimed at gamers for on-the-go gaming. Don’t let the compact size of this keyboard make you think twice. It packs all the features that a mechanical gaming keyboard can have and of this size. It is 61 keys, US layout with the dimension of 293x103x40mm making it a small footprint. It is compact build with less weight (564 gm keyboard only) but without any compromise on the build quality. The keycaps are made of ABS material. The main key on this keyboard is the function or Fn key as owing to such a small footprint, the maximum functionality is achieved using the maximum combination of keys and the Fn makes the life easier for this task. There are 38 keys that work in combination with the Fn to give the stated outcome. Pressing them without the Fn key would give their normal output.

The keyboard has a stylish housing finished in two-tone. The upper portion is matte black while the bottom portion has a shine on it. Resultantly it is also a fingerprint magnet but given that they have implemented the shiny side at the bottom, it is a wise move as it would seldom come in touch with the fingers. There is a white color top plate covering the PCB and resting between the switches and the PCB. This white color plate gives a dope look with the black color keycaps and white backlight.

The majority of the 38 combination keys have triple markings on them. The bottom marked functionality is accessible via a combination of the Fn key whereas the right-hand side marking is accessed via a combination of the Shift key. This is how this 61 key layout is providing the full functionality of a standard 104 keys layout. The top row is yet another wise implementation by combining the first two rows on any standard 104 keys keyboard into one group and letting the Fn key combination to access the one half of the functionality.

There are 4 rubber paddings on the backside to avoid scratching on the surface where the keyboard will be used. These paddings are curved design. There is neither wrist pad with this keyboard nor any provision to mount any custom wrist pad. This is understandable as the keyboard’s size warrants mobility for more than anything else.

The ACGAM AG6X comes with the white backlighting and has 7 predefined lighting effects which can be accessed and configured using the keyboard or the software for the keyboard. ACGAM has developed simple yet comprehensive software to control all the aspects of the keyboard. Each key can be configured for different functionality. The ACGAM AG6X is using Outemo Blue mechanical switches. The Outemo Blue switch is a non-linear switch hence the switches are clicky and give good tactile feedback. These switches are rated at 50M keystrokes much like the Cherry MX Blues.

The keyboard is listed at $39.99 at the time of the review. This price and the features make this keyboard ideal for LAN events, eSPORTS etc. My personal experience with this keyboard has been good though I had to spend some time with this keyboard to get used to its format. The lighting effect is subtle and color diffusion is right on the money. The software is comprehensive and provides flexibility for the user to customize the keyboard as per the requirement. A few switches were scratching but nothing major and I did not observe any sign of wobbling. The left/right/up/down arrows are also implemented in the combination of the Fn key and the /?, Alt, ≡ and Ctrl keys at the bottom right side. This is not a convenient implementation in my opinion as a user will have to press the Fn first while navigating through windows or objects which is quite a common task in routine desktop use. But, once you get used to it, this complaint goes away. I found it difficult to use this combo during the navigation in the game menus. But, given the size of the keyboard and its overall layout, there is nothing much that could have been done to go another way around. The good thing is the Fn key is strategically well placed near to the arrow keys. Similarly, I faced difficulty when deleting the pictures while navigating through the pictures folder. It was like keep the Fn key pressed at all times and then learn to use the Backspace and navigation keys in tandem with it. A little practice set me to it. ACGAM is providing a 1-year warranty on this keyboard.

I am thankful to ACGAM for giving me the opportunity to review their AG6X Mechanical Keyboard.

REVIEW OVERVIEW

Design

9.0

Performance

9.0

Build Quality

9.0

Features

9.5

SUMMARY

With a price of $39.99, the ACGAM AG6X mechanical keyboard has everything a gamer could need. It packs stunning white lighting effects, Anti Ghosting features, Multimedia keys that work in combination with the Fn key, Outemo Blue switches with more tactile feedback, beautiful housing. If you are in the market looking for a better value mechanical keyboard with mobility on the go, look no further as ACGAM has got you covered.

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